The Sun. — London, England, 1864-12-19 00:00:00

AMERICA. THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE. The royal mail steam-ship Asia, from Boston on the 7th instant, and Halifax on the 9th, arrived at Queenstown at 4.30 a.m. yesterday with 64 passen• gers and 30,816 dols. in species She landed 79 sacks of mails, and two passengers, and proceeded at 5 a.m. All well. The Asia experienced four days' strong easterly winds during her passage. (Per the. Asia via Crookhaven.) NEW YORK, DEC. 6, Evening. Congress assembled at Washington yesterday, President Lincoln's message says an attempt to negotiate with Davis would not result, in any good, He would only accept disunion, which the North will not grant. The Southern people can have peace by laying down their arms and submitting to the national authority. lie retracts nothing here tofore said on slavery, and will not modify the emancipation proclamation, The North will cease the war whenever it shall have ceased on the part of those who began it. He recommends the passing of a constitutional amendment abolishing slavery throughout the United States. President Lincoln says the North could continue the war indefinitely as far as providing men is concerned. Her material and resources are more abundant than ever. The national resources are inexhaustible, and believed to be inexhaustible. In consequence of the depredations committed on the Canadian frontier, notice has been given to Great Britain that, after the expiration of six months, the United States must hold themselves at liberty to increase their naval armament upon lakes, if necessary. Unforeseen political difficulties have arisen in British and Brazilian ports and the Northern boun dary of the United States, which will continue to require the practice of constant vigilance and a just conciliatory spirit on the part of the United States and the nations concerned. Mexico continues to be the theatre of civil war. Oar political relations with that country have un dergone no change. The United States have main tained a neutrality between the belligerents. President Lincoln recommends Congress to pro• vide that a limited amount of some future issue of public, securities might be held by bona fide pur,- cilasers free from taxation and seizure for debt. The public debt on the let of July last was 1,700,000,000 dole. The customs receipts during the year amount to 102,000,000 dols., the internal revenue to 109,000,000 dole., and the proceeds of loans to 623,000,000 dole. The aggregate expenses of the year amounted to 865,000,000 dols. FURTHER DETAILS, NEW YORK, DEC. 6. Referring to the recognition of the Confederates as belligerents, President Lincoln says ;—" It is possible that if it were a new and open question, ,the maritime powers, with the light they now enjoy, would not concede the privileges of naval belligerents to the insurgents in the United States, destitute as they are, and always have been, equally of ships, ports, and harbours. Disloyal emissaries have been neither less assiduous nor more successful during last year than they were before that tima in their eff )rts, under that privilege, to embroil our country in foreign wars. The desire and determi nation of the maritime States to defeat that design are believed to be as sincere es, and cannot be more earnest than, our own.'' Referring to the war Mr Lincoln says :—" Since our last annual meeting all the important lines and positions then occupied by our forces have been maintained, and cur armies have steadily advanced, liberating the regions left in their tear, so that Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and parts of other States have produced reasonably fair crops. The most remarkable feature in the military operations of the year is Sherman's attemp`ed march of 300 miles directly through the insurgent region. The result not yet being known, conjecture in regard to it shall not be indulged.' Alluding to the State organisation, Mr Lincoln says :—" Maryland presents an example of corn plate success. She is secure to liberty and the Union for the future. The genius of the rebellion will no more claim her. Like another foul spirit it has been driven out. It may seek to tear her, but it will do no more." On the growth of the country during the war he says:—" While it is melancholy to reflect that the war has filled so many graves and carried sorrow to so many hearths, it is some relief to know that, compared with the surviving, the fallen have been so few, While corps, and divisions, and brie gades, and regiments have foamed and fought, and dwindled and gone out of existence, a great ma• jority of men who composed them are still living, and the material resources of the country are now more complete and abundant than ever. The national resources are unexhanated, and are be lieved to be inexhaustible. The public purpose is to reestablish and maintain the national authority which is unchanged, and believed to be unchange able. Between the Southerners and ourselves the issue is distinct, simple, and inflexible. It is an issue which can only be tried by war and decided by victory. If we yield we are beaten. If the Southern people fail their President, he is beaten. Either way it 'would be victory and defeat following war. What is true of him who heats the insurgents' cause is not necessarily true of those who follow him. Although he cannot reeaccept the Union, they can. Some, we know, already desire peace and re-union. They can at any moment have peace simply by lay ing down their arms and submitting to the national authority under the constitution. After so much the Government could not, if it would maintain war against them. The loyal people would not sustain or allow it. If questions should remain, we would adjust them by peaceful mea sures of legislation, conference courts, and votes. The executive power itself would be greatly dimie niched by the cessation of the war. The actual way of pardon and remissions of forfeiture, how ever, would still be within the executive control. A year ago a general pardon and an amnesty were offered upon specified terms, to all except certain designated classes. It was at the same tiara made known that the excepted classes were within the c4templation of special clemency. During the year many availed themselves of the general pro visions, and many others would do so only that signs of bad faith in some led to such precautionary measures as render a practical process less easy and tees certain. During the same time also special par dons have been granted to individuals of the excepted classes, and no voluntary act i on has been denied. Thus practically the door has be en open to all. It Li open, but a time may come, and ',roe bably will come,w hen the public duty shall demand that it he cloecd, and that in lieu thereof more rig. GTOII3 measures than heretofore be adopted." NEW YORK, DEC. G (Evening), Breckenridge had retreated towards Virginia be fore Barbridge, who had reached Bean station. Southern papers contain a report that the Federals had retired from Cumberland Gap to Knoxville, Sherman baying ordered East Tennessee to be dP• vastated and abandoned. Gen. Rosser reports that at New Creek, on the Biltirnore and Ohio R ►ilroad, ha captured 8 guns 800 prisoners, and a large quantity of cattle, besides destroying 200 waggons, The Confederate Congress has passed a re solution denouncing the seizure of the Florida, and declaring that Brazil i■ bound to enforce tle re storation of the vessel. Commissioners have been appointed to confer with Brazil. Thomas has concentrated his forces within Nash ville. Hood has captured a blockhouse four miles from Nashville on the Chattanooga road, where he was erecting breastworks within half-a-mile of those of the Federals around the city. Deserters report that Gen. Lee has published an order claiming a Confederate victory at Franklin. Southern papers think that Hood will not attack Nashville, but penetrate Kentucky . or East Ten nessee. Louisville despatches assert that Lord Lyons is preparing to leave for England, on account of his health. The Southern press ridicules the idea of South. erners attempting to fire the city of New York. The steamer North Stafford has been disabled off Port Royal, Federal transports from Savannah on the 30th report that Sherman had occupied Millen; his ad. vanced guard was within six miles of Savannah. Southern papers do not confirm this. The _Richmond Examiner of the 31 says, that the report that Sherman had reached Millen is incor rect; the Federals were whipped, and their column of relief completely beaten. If Sherman gets through, which is doubtful, he will do so with the loss of half his army. Southern papers report that Wheeler had re pulsed Kilpatrick's cavalry with heavy loss on the 29th ult„ driving them toward Millen. On the 26th ult. the Federal cavalry were also repulsed at Sandeville, and a small force unsuccessfully attacked Macon on the 20th. The Savannah Republican of the 30th reports that Sherman Was still on the railroad beyond Millen. A Federal column left Port Royal on the 29th to co-operate with him. Federal accounts represent that they captured Pocelaligo Bridge, between Savannah and Charleston. Southern accounts re. present .the Federals there as having been badly whipped at Grahamsville, South Carolina, and driven five miles, leaving their dead and wounded behind, but the Federals still threatened Coosahat■ chie and another point on the railroad. COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. NEW YORK, DEC. 6 (Evening). Gold, 2341. Exchange on London, 255 ; Paris, 2.81 to 2.131. Stocks slightly firmer. New York Centrals, 1204 ; Illinois, 1291; Erie, 911; 5-20 Bends, 109. NEW YORK, DEC. 7 (Morning). The report of the Secretary of the Treasury says that the expenses to be provided for during the current year, including the interest of the public debt, amount to 1,400,000,000 dols. The customs, internal revenue, and the miscellaneous sources, are estimated to produce 780,000,000 dots.; leaving a balance of 620,000,000 dols. to be provided for. Further measures reduce this increase of the public debt during the current year to 482,000,000 dols. It is estimated that the public debt on July 1, 1865, will be 2,223,000,000 dole. The expenditure in the next fiscal year is estimated at 1,168,000,000 dols,, and the receipts at 396,000,000 dole. The balance in the treasury is 350,000,000 dols., leaving 422,000,000 dole. to be provided for by loans. Mr Fessenden is opposed to the negotiation of a foreign loan, and will not resort to a further issue of legal tender totes as long as the people support the war by loans. The amount of interest payable in gold by the Government is 56,000,000 dols. If the SUM required for the expenses of the present fiscal year is raised upon gold interest bearing bones, and the customs receipts do not exceed the estimate of the first quarter, recourse must be had for gold to some other sources of supply. He thinks the Government shou'd rely upon secu rities bearing interest in currency convertible into bonds with interest payable in gold. NEW YORK, DEC. 8. No military operations of importance are reported from the army of the Potomac. Confederate batteries maintain slow practice against Dutch Gap Canal. This is supposed to be for the purpose of getting effective range in anti. cipation of an attempt being made by monitors to pass up the river so soon as the canal is completed. The Confederates represent the recent raids at New Creek as an important success. General Early reports that a force of his cavalry under General Rosser surprised and captured Fort Kelly, at New Creek, on the 28th ult. Rosser afterwards captured Piedmont, and destroyed a large amount of Federal stores, and all the Govern ment buildings. The prisoners and artillery were all brought off, besides 1,015 horses and 1,000 head of cattle. Rosser's entire loss was only five men. The news from East Tennessee is conflicting. Federal accounts represent that Gen. Burbridge, when he evacuated Cumberland Gap, advanced against Breckenridge, who was retiring towards Western Virginia. Confederate accounts claim that Breckenridge is master of the situation, and that the Federals were retreating to Knoxville. General Stephen Lee, in an order issued to his troops, congratulates them on their victory over the Federala at Franklin on the 30th ult., and com pliments them on their bravery and devotion: He promises them that if they fight with equal valour in future, Nashville, with its immeuse stores, will soon be in their possession. Later estimates of the casualties at Franklin state the Federal loss at 1,500 men, and that of the Confederates at from 3,000 to 5,000. The .Richmond Xnquirer of Dec. 3 ridicules the idea of the Confederate authorities having had anything to do with the recent incendiary attempts in New York. 'lt denounces the incen diaries as cowardly sneaks, who having deserted their country are not above each work, and hopes that General Dix will hang every one of them. NEW YORK, DEC. 8 (Evening). General Sherman's army has passed Millen, aiid it is reported that his objective point is Darien. Hood has been repulsed with the loss of six gun s in attacking a blockhouse near Murfreesboro. Hi s headquarters are six miles from Nashville. The report of the Secretary of tho Treasury (? Navy) admits the possibili►,y of completely block ading Wilmington. Mr Chase has been appointed Chief Justice. The steamer Bremen has returned to New York disabled. COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. NEW YORK, DEC, 8 (Evening). Money easy. Gold, 239 a. Exchange on Lon don, 2632. Exchange on Paris, 2,81 to 2.13 g. Stocks slightly firmer. New York Centrals, 122 ; Illinois, 1301 ; Erie, 941 ; 5.20 Bonds, 1081. Cot ton steady ; middling upland, 130. Flour slightly firmer. W heat good inquiry. Corn dull. Coffee steady. Sugar good inquiry. Molasses steady. Petroleum --Crude, 49 ; refined, 71. Sir R. Alcock has not been recalled, but has been ordered to come home on leave of absence, i n or d er to confer with her Majesty's Government on the state 0 affairs in Japan. SPIRIT O' THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. THE "SPECTATOR" ON MR GLADSTONE'S NEW SCHEME.--The railway scheme attributed to Mr Gladstone ought to be discussed in essentials at least before the meeting of Parliament, if only to avert that surprised annoyance with which the na tion always receives a project which is not visibly an embodiment of a slowly formed public desire, It seems prima facie difficult, perhaps even a little useless, to consider a project so dependent on de tail before he has explained his views, but the limits within which he can move and the purposes for which only he will move are capable of such sharp definition that it is possible to reason upon essentials, even before the Chancellor of the Exchequer has brought his marvellous power of statement to bear upon the particulars. In the first place, the powers legally vested in the Government for making a change in railway management are sufficiently clear. The Railway Act of 1844,7 and 8 Vic., cap. 85, suggests a clause which, if we are not greatly mistaken, was suggested by Lord Dalhousie, but which was defended in the Lower House by Mr Gladstone, conferring on the State the right of pur chasing any railway 21 years old and constructed after 1844, whether its owners wish to sell it or not. The State therefore can legally, if Parliament chooses, commence in 1865 buying -up all railways opened sinco that period, that is, in praciice all railways except some of the trunk lines. The ob ject of that clause, moreover, was stated in a speech of Mr Gladstone when introducing it to be the pre•• vention of any evils from monopoly, and as Parlia ment is the sole judge whether evils have or have not arisen from monopoly, it has a clear moral as well as legal right to act on its own precautionary reserved power. It has moreover the ability as well as the right —a point upon which an extraordinary confusion seems to exist. The act compels the State, should it any time purchase a railway, to give the shareholders 25 years' purchase, calculated upon the average of market prices during the last three years. As a matter of fact, sound railway shares throughout the kingdom may be taken as being worth just 20 years' purchase, that is, the average prices of three years have always yielded within a fraction of 5 per cent. Conses quently, remarks the limes, the State would have to pay the difference, viz., five years' purchase, and as Parliament will not pay the difference, there is an end of the matter. The 7 inzes, however, has formed its decision a great deal too hastily, and missed the most essential element in the question. The State has, it is true, twenty-five years' purchase to pay, but then it borrows at thirty years,- er 3/ per cent., and the difference is all in its favour. Twenty-five years' purchase means 4 percent,, while Government cannot borrow at 31. The difference of three-quarters per cent. represent its own profit, and supposing it conceivable that it could purchase the whole railway system of Great Britain and Ires land, say a capital of four hundred millions, its profit would be rather less than three millions sterling a year, with possibilities of increase. We merely quote these figures to show that it is not the cost which will prevent any action under the clause, however vast, and not as advocating any change so wide in the administrative system of the country. Mr. Gladstone of course has no such idea in his head, but it is necessary that the truth as to the existence of pecuniary, or legal, or moral obstacles should be first of all made clear. The primary and demonstrable data of the whole business are that Parliament has the legal power to buy up the British railways —the branches practically governing the trunk :—that it has the moral right to buy them ; that it can offer a price at which the whole body of shareholders will jump; and that it can offer this price without cost and with pecuniary benefit to the taxpayers. The question to be considered therefore is not the legality', or the morality, or the possibility of such a transaction, but only its expediency. The purchase of the entire system may be put out of the discussion, simply because no such step is at likely to be proposed, or even contemplated. There is an irrepressible instinct in the British mind which forbids any novel application of State power to internal purposes upon a scale so vast, and involving consequences so far beyond states' manlike calculation. The House of Commons would be too startled by the mere mention of such an enterprise to consider it calmly, and the nation is never lees startled than the House of Commons. But even when discussing suggestions admitted not to be practicable it is as well to avoid tailing non sense, and nonsense is being talked very liberally on the matter. The "vast" suggestion, supposing it made, would not involve any necessary loss of revenue, any diminution in the range of private enterprise, any increase, dangerous or safe, in the sum total of State patronage. The lines need not, because owned by the State, be worked by the State, can be leased to private companies as easily as they are now constructed by them. The men would be different, the system the same, the change being only Equivalent to that - which has already occurred over and over again, viz , the transfer of each rail way in turn fcorn ore body of directors to another, equally irremovably, equally independent, but under far stronger inducements to lurk the Hoes to a pro fit and far more stringent compuleion to consult the interests of the public. The lessees, rot the State, would appoint, pay, and dismiss the armies of rail way ; they—not the State—would enjoy the distribution of all those prizes, posts, profits, and percentages which some writers appear to irnas gine would suffice to corrupt all England. Even on this great scale the objection to be taken is only one of expediency, and the plan, if proposed, is sure to be something infinitely less gigantic than this. - THE "EXAMINER" ON THE DANGERS OF THE STREETS.--An old lady has been knocked down and killed by a Hansom cab, and the driver, found guilty of menslanglater by a coroner's inquest, is committed for trial. The man was driving at the rapid rate of 12 miles an hour, and whipped his horse to a gallop when the poor lady fell to make his escape, evincieg no concern about what he had done. Every one must have noticed the reckless way in which these patent cabs are• driven. From their build they turn very quickly, and it is the sport of some of the drivers to give a fright to foot passengers in crossings by a close shave, as it is called. No more than a fright is in tended, but if there be the miscalculation of a few inches, or any extraordinary awkwardness in the person put in fear, serious misohiet may and does happen. A return from the hospitals of the num ber of persons knocked down or run over by horses and carriages in the course of every week would rather startle the public, and ;these accounts would not include all the accidents df the class, as many sufferers are laid up i❑ their private houses. More dangerous even than the Hansom cabs are the fire engines, which go galloping and thundering through the streets, with a crowd of ragamuffins yelling at their heels, without any pretence of care for what ever may be in their way, or the horses they may frighten. Indeed the drivers seem to think it wuuld be much to the honour of their zeal and activity to run over some one. It would prove at least that they could do something. For with all this ado and fuss, we all know how little serviceable these engines ace when they arrive at the place of action, and nine times out of ten tho occasion of the reckless gallop through the streets and peril to passengers is nothing more than a chimney on fire or a fa►_se alarm of one. We never knew a case, howevar, in which it mat tered a rush whether fire engines arrived a few minutes earlier or a few minutes later, for to extin guish a fire is far beyond their competency. It is their part to sprinkle it and to make a pond of the street, but the fire takes its course, limited perhaps at best to the building where it begins and ends its days. The tradesmen's two-wheeled carts are the next danger of the Trivia. The driver is so seated that he cannot see to the right or the left, and is often both a careless and unskilled driver, valuing nothing but time. The ice carts in particular are notorious for their hot haste and recklessness of mis• chief. The same observations apply to the Post office carts, with the royal arms upon them, the drivers of which seem to think themselves privi. ledged to run over all who are not nimble enough to get out of their way. Unlike the drivers of the tradesmen's carts, the drivers of the Post-office carts see their road clearly both right and left and before them, but they do so with a disregard to persons that would do honour to justice. THE " LONDON REVIEW" ON THE CASE OF STONE V• STONE AND APPLETON.—Budleigh Salterton is a village on the sea -coast, a few miles from Exeter. Mrs Stone is the wife of Captain Stone, late in the East India Company's service, and some time before the year 1859 she took up her residence at Budleigh, while her husband went to India, In 1861 he was invalided and sent home. In the May of that year he returned to his family. He does not appear, from the evidence in the trial which terminated on Thurs day, to have been the wisest or most amiable of husbands. But he consorted with his wife till the year was wearing towards its close. About that time a scandal, which was either newly conceived or had been long smouldering .in Budleigh, touching his wife's relations towards Mr Apple ton, her medical attendant, suddenly broke but, and Captain Stone rushed to one of her relatives with the intelligence that "Mettle" had "gone to the bad." On the 2d of January, 1862, Mettle gave birth to a child, and as her hus band, by what instigation egged on we know not, had &ready charged her with adultery, all Budleigh Salterton was up in arms to test whether the baby was a full. grown baby or a baby who had presumed to come into the world before his proper time. Upon this solemn question Mrs Stone's guilt or innocence mainly turned, and witnesses were called on either side to prove, in the interest of the Captain that the little mortal was of full growth, and in the interest of Mrs Stone that by right he should have post poned putting in a social appearance for some seven weeks later. 'the question of his legitimacy was tried in March 1863, and the jury then impannelled declared by their Vera diet that whose ever child he might be, he was not the child of Captain Stone, A new trial was ordered by the full full Court, and on Thursday it was decided that Mrs Stone was free from the charge of adultery. It is difficult to conceive how such a charge could have been made. Mrs Stone was already the mother of four children before the birth of her last child, and it was proved that she had Commenced her married life with premature con finements. She was a woman in delicate health, and ob stetric science and common experience support the proba bility that a woman who begins in this way will probably continue to be confined before her time. Some portions of the evidence on which her husband based his claim to a divorce are so manifestly disreputable, that one is at a loss to conceive how they cou'd have been presented to a jury, They are, indeed, of so disgusting and improbable a charac ter, that we should not think of recapitulating them to our readers. It is sufficient to say that it is clearly impossible that any woman, not insane, could have acted as Captain Stone's principal witnesses represent his wife as having acted. But the whole tenor of the case testifies to that miserable longing for excitement of any kind that promises relief from the insupportable dulness of village life. Grave and respectable people panting for stimulants at their par lour windows could not see Mrs Stone's medical attendant coming daily to visit her in the absence of her husband without concluding that something dreadful was going on. They waylaid her lightest expressions, and extracted from them a meaning favourable to their scandalous speculations. Gossip after gossip came and looked at her baby, and con cluded, according to their or good-will, either that it was full-grown or premature. In the exciting contest of opinions Budleigh Salterton thrilled with delight. Parsons and doctors, matrons and spinsters, kitchen-maids and old Women of the stronger sex, all inspected the baby, ranged themselves on either side of the case, and swore point blank that it was full-grown or not full-grown. If from these village oracles we turn to the evidende of the first obstetric authorities, we find that nothing on earth is more uncertain than the maturity or immaturity of a child between seven and nine months' growth. The indicia vary so much that Dr Tyler Smith said, when a lady's reputation was at stake, he would decline to give any opinion at all, or, if he did give any, it would be with so many reservations and excep tions, that nothing certain could be concluded from it, Yet this was the main fact on which Captain Stone could, with any appearance of right, found his claim to a divorce. In truth, he and his wife both fell victims to the inanity of Budleigh Salterton existence. The village wanted some thing to stir its blood, and it lighted on Mr Appleton's pro.. fessional visits to Mrs Stone, Her husband was absent in India. There were two medical practitioners ministering to its physical sufferings. One of them was in frequent at tendance on the temporary widow, and it concluded, in a Christian spirit, that " something must be wrong." There is no greater stimulant to lazy blood than scandal. Bud leigh Salterton grasped at its opportunity, and Capt. Stone Stone—his wife, unhappily, also—fell a victim to its thirst for something to talk about, THE " SATURDAY REVIEW" ON GOVERNMENT AND THE RAILWAYS.—Twenty years ago, when Sir Robert Peel was in power, just before the great railway mania of 1845, an act was passed giving to the Government various powers of control over all railways authorised in and after the ses sion of 1844. The regulations under which the mails and the troops are to be carried, the compulsory arrangement as to Parliamentary trains, and a variety of other provisions obligatory upon the companies, are to be traced to this sta tute. Bat there were two powers which were to lie in abey ance for 21 years, and which will come into operation in the course of 186:5, One of these has proved nugatory, being based on the then prevalent anticipation that 10 per cent. would be a common rate of dividend. Whenever the profits exceeded this amount, the Government were empowered to impose a new tariff; but the companies which have been fortunate enough to reach this limit are so few, that there is no prospect of any exercise of this power of regulation, even if it were otherwise thought to be desirable. The other almost forgotten privilege of the Government is that of buying up any line subject to the provisions of the act at 25 years' purchase on the average rate of profit of the three preceding years. The privilege is clogged with certain conditions. If the company is dissatisfied with the amount of purchase-money calculated on this basis, it may demand an arbitration, to determine whether any and what addition should be made to bring the price up to the fair value of the line. No branch line of less than five miles in length is to be subject to the powers of compulsory purchase ; and, if a branch line is taken, the Company may re quire the Government to purchase their whole concern, just as a private landowner may compel a Company to take the whole of a house or manufactory of which any portion is required for the purpose of their works. The act, more over, provides that its powers are not to be used to sustain an undue competition against any independent company, and that no purchase shall be made until three months' notice shall have been given to the company, nor until Parliament shall have authorised the raising of the neces sary funds. The total Faltte of railway property, including loan- capital, is between £300,000,000 and £100,000,000 ; and though the interest of shareholders, which alone would be the immediate subject of purchase, is very much less, it would be an operation of unOuralleled magnitude to put:the powers of the act in force. It is said that the Government has it in contemplation to bring the subject before Parlia ment in the approaching session, and there can be no doubt that, if this is done, tho course taken will be to refer to the consideration cf a Select Committee a matter of too formidable a character to be dealt with as a party measure. The first coneidc4.ation which must strike every one, whether interested in railway shares or not, is that the purchase, if effected at all, must—not neces sarily in the first instance, but sooner or later—embrace the whole railway system of the country ; and it is of the gravest importance to consider, first, whether so great a revolution as the transfer of all our railways to the Go. vernment is desirable, and, secondly, whether, under exist ing circumstances, such a project oan be consi 1 ered feasible. To deal with the last question first, it is obvious that, from the enormous extent to which amalgamation has been car ried in the 20 years that have elapsed since the passing of Sir Robert Peel's Act ; from the infinitely varied and com plicated arrangements in the shape o f l eases, subsidies, and joint influence of the rail way interest, it would, to say the l east, be a very difficult matter to enforce the compulsory important ofvar p io aurlsialm lines; capi tal and ownership the n; and fr om th e vast teey powers of ,purchase aginst the unanimous wishes of r a il way shareholders, It a that the int eres t o f th e that of th e G overnment. r ci f so h mb e r py e anu m oi eusms must be e un Is a d e c r lb y e: fro: opposed oo e sw l shareholders l ro ol t dere in the country who would not, individually, be glad, at this moment, to sell at 25 years' purchase on the mean into of dividend for the last three years. Such a price w ould, nof those who present market value of h in an average c ase , would b eabout earea, twentyand if h par f cent, o spacialabov e the lnterests direct tho policy of the companies Were not an obstacle, there would seem to be no reason to dread an organised e v evenpermanentsharesinvest orientsatime at a price, at of the operation, the per cent. v es market tm wouldts whichbo denuded the y w would l t d he e ap e e l s:tisiasllll,y ouf desirepfioNn,e the ; b w ut ho t l h e e , e of railway broad o r t a dy d e .oi resultded decidedly advantageous Debenture the holders purchasetoh might e/mid-rs ()- railway pro net like the p rospec t of w an early reduction in their rate of interest, and some difficulty might be experienced i j adjusting the claims of preferential shareholders. 41 the total price paid would be largely in excess of W h at the market would produce, and this consid er ation rt l i n h t be expected to secure a preponderance of support from those most immediately in terested in the operation. An a pparent resistanc e wou ld be likely, in any case, to be manifested, if only with the view of utilising to the utm os t the right.of submitting the ques tion to arbitration; but s o methingmore than a mock oppo sition would be needed to resist the scheme if it were once deliberately approved by the House of Commons. The diffi culty, which at once suggests itself, of raising the requisite funds is not nearly so formidable as it may appear at first sight. Although the operation must be conducted from the first with a view to the absorption of the whole railway systems the purchases of different• lines need not be, and would not be, simultaneous. For exa mp l e , the acquisition of the South Coast lines, W hi ch have so great a military value in connection with our naval arsenals and dockyards, would be an operation within manageable compass, and time might be given for the quiet absorption of the now stock created for this purpose before attempting to deal with any other company. A c onsiderable proportion of the capital released bytha purchase of shares would find its way at once into Government s e c ur i ties, and though some part of the amount would prob a bl y flew abroad in search of five per cent. investments, th e d erangement of the market and the influence on the price of Consols need not be serious if the process were conducted gradually and with judgment. Un less, therefore, the attitude of the railway interest should be more hostile than there appears reason to suppose, there is nothing to render the ultimate purchase of all our rail ways, large as the operation would be, at all impracticable. Whether the concentration in tho hands of the Government of all the railway power of the country would be beneficial to the community at large is a wholly different question, upon which there is much to be said on either side. Tho advantages to be gained by the proposed revolution aro obvious, if only it be assumed that the lines would be as well managed under the Government as they now are by independent and conflicting Boards. Meetings of the Capital Pan!uhnient Commis sioners were held on Thursday and Friday, the 15th and 16th inst., at which the Duke of Richmond, Lord Stanley, M.P. ; 11. Waddington, Esq.. J. Bright, Etq., M.P.; W. Ewart, Esq., M.P.; Gathtrno Hardy, Esq., M.P.; G. W Hunt, Esq., M.P.; and C. Neate, Esq., M.P.,iattended. J. H. Pattetion, Esq., was also present. The t cr A s p e vE T T r i y, sEmENT. ]—H o ll oway ' s Oi ntment an d Pill s . — The Anchor of Hope.—lf t h ere be one descriptLn of human knowledge superior to all others it is the knowledge of the means of preserving or regaining health, wanting which existence is a mockery, death a relief. Holloway's twin they are beneficial, bec au i e they pur i fy t h e bl ood, from medicaments supply this glut desideratum. In all diseases which every portion of the body must inevitably be renewed. The ointment, by brisk friction, relaxes, penetrates, and then exerts its regulating Ind .wholesome infinence on the skin ani underlying orgats. In this way the stomach, lungs, liver, and kidneys cin be effectually reached and in vigorated, especially it Hcdoway's pills be simultaneously taken to aid in the work of:purification and regeneration, Naval and Military Intelligence, His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, as Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Artillery, will attend at the half-yearly examination of the Royal Mili tary Academy at Woolwich on Thursday next, the 22d inst. The following appointments and promotions in the corps of Royal Marines were on Friday an• nouncad at Woolwich—First-Lieut. and Adjt. J. W. V. Arbuckle, of the Woolwich division, to be Capt. at the Chatham division, vice Clendon, placed on half-pay; Seconds Lieut. Charles Albert Louis Moore, of the Woolwich division, to be First-Lieut. at a division to be hereafter named, vice Arbuckle ; First-Lieut. John Straghan, now acting Adjutant at Deal, to be Adjutant at the Woolwich division, vice Arbuckle, promoted; First-Lieut. Alfred Fon blanque, of the Woolwich division, to be Acting- Adjutant at Deal, vice Straghan. PermisEion to be exchange divisions has been granted to Capt. S. J. Graham, of the Chatham division of Royal Marines, and Capt. R. F. Tayler, of the Woolwich division. Leave of absence has been granted for two months to Capt. Julius Bunce, instructor of musketry and brigade-major to the Light Infantry division of Royal Marines at Woolwich, and also to First-Lieut. W. R. Hopkins, of the same division. Her Majesty's iron-clad war steamer Valiant, 24, 4,063 tons, 800-horse power, was taken from her moorings in the Medway on Thursday for a preli minary trial of her engines and machinery, under the direction of Capt. W. K. Hall, C. 8., of the Cum. berland, 70, and the other officials of the Chatham Steam Reserve, in order to test the working of her machinery during several hours' full steaming previously to entering upon her speed trials at the Maplin Sands. The Valiant is fitted with a pair of horizontal engines of 800-horse power (nominal), of the double pistons rod class, and are similar, excepting in a few imp provernents, to those fitted on board the Royal Oak, the Royal Alfred, the Zealous, and others of the squadron of ircnsoaaed ships by the same makers, Messrs. Maudslay, Sons, and Field. The cylinders are 82 inches in diameter, with a length of stroke of 4ft., by which from 55 to 60 revolutions per minute are obtainable. Toe cylinders are incased in steam jackets, supplied with steam direct from the boilers, the slide-valves, which are double ported, being worked by double eccentrics and link motion. The expansion valves are constructed on the revolving equilibrium principle, and are worked by wheelwork from the main crank shaft of the engines, the alteration of the range of expan sion being effected by long sockets with spiral grooves, in the manner introduced by Messrs. Maudslay and Co. for steam engines in the early stage of screw propulsion. The screw is fitted with two blades of the Griffiths form, on the improved plan introduced by Messrs. Maudslay, by which the pitch can be readily altered when required from a minimum of 22ft. Gin. to 271 t. Gin. The boilers are of the ordinary tubular construction, with re turn tubes over the fireplaces, and are placed in the wings of the vessel, with the stoking-room amid ships; the six boilers are heated by means of 24 furnaces, ranged 12 on either side of the stokehole. In addition to the large engines there are a pair of auxiliary engines, of 40 horse power, with cylinders of 15in. in diameter, and a length of stroke of 14in. These auxiliary engines work two horizontal double acting pumps of 7-1-in. in diameter, con nected directly with the piston-rods of the engines, for the purpose of extinguishing fires. Connected with the pumps are ranges of pipes, with the necessary branches, traversing every part of the ship, so that a fire, wherever it might break our, can be readily extinguished. The auxiliary engines also drive two of Lloyd's silent fans, each of 3ft. Gin, in diameter, for venti lating the vessel, either by forcing a current of air into the different cabins, or by exhausting them and blowing into the coal boxes, as may be required, the amount of ventilation being regulated by blid- ing valves placed in each cabin, as well as in the different water tight compartments of the frigate. the same engines also drive a fan for heating the cupola furnace, placed at the forward end otZhe stokehole, for preparing the molten iron for the Martin shells, and also to work an apparatus for raising the ashes to tl.e upper deck. During the trial the engines, which were under the charge of Mr Warriner, worked with great regularity, and at the termination of the preliminary run the Valiant returned to her former moorings, in readiness to proceed on her subsequent trial. The paddlewheel steamer Terrible, 21, 1,850 tons 800 horse power (nominal), fitting for. the first di vision of the Chatham Steam Reserve in the Med. way, having completed a very extensive repair to both hull and machinery, extending over several months, has been removed from the steam basin and placed at the basin moorings in the stream, where she will be completed as rapidly as possible, as she is required for immediate commission. The screw gunboat, Magnet, 2, 60 horse power, tender to the Pembroke, 60,200 horse power, coast guard ship at Harwich, has arrived in the Medway in order to make good defects to both hull and ma chinery, which will involve the necessity of re mov ing her engines. The paddlewheel steamer L'zard, 3, 150 horse power, Lieut-Commander H. J. Challis, having completed her duties in protecting the fisheries on the coast of Scotland, in which the service she was employed during the whole of the past summer, has returned to the Mee way, and has been placed in the steam basin at Sheerness, tor the purpose of undergoing an extensive repair. She is to be pro vided with new boilers, her present boilers being no longer serviceable. The Lizard is fitted with the new Lumley rudder, the working of which is deft scribed as being in the highest degree satisfactory. The Adder, paddlewheel steamer, Master. Co mmander W. Blakey, is to have her defects made good at Chatham, and will afterwards be handed over to the dockyard officials to be used as a dockyard tender. The screw gun vessel Torch,•s, 428 tons, 80-horse power, having completed her repairs to - hull and machinery and been fitted for the first division of the Chatham Steam Reserve, was undocked on Saturday afternoon and placed at moorings alongside Chatham dockyard. During the time the Torch was under repair the greater portion of her timbers were removed, most of them having been found hopelessly rotten, and new timbers were substituted. She was also supplied with new outside mahogany planking, new decks, and, in short, 'almost reconstructed. Her boilers were removed during the time the Torch was in dock and underwent a thorough repair in the factory. The Torch, it may be remarked, was built for the Admira:ty by contract, and has only been once in commission. With the exception of having her sea stores on board, she is ready for the pennant, and will shortly be commissioned, it is understood, for service on the west coast of Africa. The screw corvette Cadmus, 21, 1,436 tons, 400. horse power, Capt. A. Gordon,'preparing for sea in Chatham harbour, is getting well forward with her fitments, but up to the present time only a very small number of her crew, which will number up wards of 200 hands, have joined. From the difficulty just now experienced by the Admiralty in manning the ships placed in commission it will be some time before she has her full complement. Just before the time of the dockyard hands employed on board con cluding work on Friday one of the painters, who was engaged mixing some mineral paint in the store-room adjoining the ward-room, incautiously allowed a light candle to come into contact with the paint, which was immediately in a blaze. The alarm of fire was at once given, and by the prompt exertions of Mr. Darley, the foreman on board, the flames were extinguished. The workman, a man named Reeve, who caused the fire was immediately dismissed from the dockyard, and one of the junior officers who was in charge of the workmen sus pended. The screw steam sloop Greyoound, 17, recently returned from _the North American station (the crew of which have been paid off), was placed on Friday in the North dock in Devonport yard, for the purpose of undergoing a thorough repair.: The iron-cased screw steamship Caledonia, which has for a long time been in No. 1 dock at Devon port dockyard, was removed therefrom on Satur day. Her rig has been altered from that of a bark to a ship, and she has been fitted with a poop, Stern walk, and forecastle, to adopt her for a flagship. The screw steam frigate Liverpool, 39, Capt. Rowley Lambert, recently returned from North America and the West. Indies, was placed on Saturday in Dock No. 1, in Devonport Dookyard, just vacated by the Caledonia. It will be recol lected that sh© has touched the ground, and that on her return she was exceedingly leaky. The bottom of the Liverpool is to undergo a minute ex• mination, and she will propably have a thorough repair. An Admiralty order has been received at Chat ham dockyard announcing that the Lords of the Admiralty have taken into consideration the claims of the accountants at each of the Royal dockyards, and have decided on augmenting their pay and allowances by awareing them an increased sum of 3d. per cent. on the whole of the sums paid by them in wages and salaries. An Admiralty order was received at Chatham on Saturday directing that the dockyard and the whole of the naval establishments are to be closed from Friday evening next until the following Tuesday morning for the Christmas holidays. The additional day given by their Lordships is to be made up by the whole of the hands previously working extra hours. Orders from the Lords of the Admiralty were re ceived at Devonport on Friday to supply 12 Arm strong shunt guns of 14 cwt each to the screw steam frigate Constance, 39, now in the first division of the Steam Reserve in Hamoaze. Tne new guns will probably displace 12 of the 32-pounders on the frigate's main deck. The December quarter examinations of 1864, on board her Majest)'e Victory at Portsmouth, of can didates for clerkships in her Majesty's Navy, took place on Friday last, when the following gentlemen passed through their course successfully, and re• ceived certificates accordingly :—Second class Certi• ficates—William Allman, Wm. Bedford, William Whyham, Edward Armstrong,* Joseph Hill, Fre derick Good. Third class Certificates—John Rams say,* Henry King, Alfred Sherris,*eEdward Eilery, Henry Weaver, George Collier, Henry Cummins,* Richard Ross-Lewin, George Murray, John Mac-, Laurin,* Arthur Pearson, Robert Wright, Gilbert Carter, * Passed from Eastman's Eastern Parade Naval Academy, SJuthsea. ' Hooker v. Burnaby." TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sir,—May Ibe permitted, as the defendant in this case, to say a word in my own defence, not having had the opportunity afforded to me (contrary to my own expressed wishes) at the trial of this case on Wednesday last ? I deny i❑ the first in stance most positively that I ever kicked the plain tiff while upon the ground, and I trust that I may, through your columns, give my version of this very unpleasant affair. Mr Hooker, as admitted by his own evidence, commenced the dispute by objecting in a mose offensive manner to my venturing to ex press my opinion as to the shooting—and he con tinues his evidence by further admitting that he hardly "knows what he did say." Had myself and witnesses been called they would have stated upon oath that Mr Hooker indulged in a tirade of coarse end vulgar abuse that few men would or could have submitted to. The terms " swindler of my brother officers" and other words of a like character were freely applied to me, and he himself proposed fights ing, or, to use his own words, "give me a sound thrashing," and when I fired off my gun and ex pressed myself es willing to accede to his request, I was at once met by his threat " to blow my brains out if I touched him." It was not for some two hours after this, and after consulting with my two friends and brother officers, Mr Adderley and Mr Westcar, and through them expressing my willingness to withdraw any expression of my own calculated to hurt the plain tiff's feelings and accept en apology, and allow the plaintiff to withdraw the term "swindler" and the other offensive epithets he had applied to me, and upon his refusal so to do that I personally addressed him. I then asked him for an apology, to which he replied he would make no apology " to a bully like myself," and upon his saying this I kicked him twice behind. He then caught at my leg, and en deavoured to throw me, and to prevent this and in the scuffle I struck him several times. I again deny that I ever kicked the plaintiff while upon the ground, and I deny that he was ev.r on the ground at ail, and I pledge my word of honour that his statement as to my kicking him i❑ any way, save as already mentioned, is utterly false, and that Mr Adderley and Mr - Westcar, who were both in court as well as myself, were prepared to have fully sub stantiated the truth of this statement, had we been called. I may also state that the plaintiff himself proposed to accept £5O damages prior to the.hear ing of the case, which I declined accediog to, feeling then, as I do now, that however much I may regret my loss of temper on the occasion, I did only that which under the same amount of provocation any gentleman in my position would have done, feelirg as I do that I could not have again met my brother officers, and that I should have been un worthy to retain Her Majesty's commission, had 1 allowed so gross, and, as I venture to assert, so un provoked an insult to have passed without notice. I again repeat that it wail against my wish that myself and witnesses were not called. I did as others would have done—submitted to the advice of the eminent counsel to whom my defence was entrusted, and although I do not•for one moment complain of the conduct of my case, I must, however, again express my regret that I had not the opportunity afforded me of laying this, my present statement, before the jury and the public. In conclusion I may observe that, while admitting my proficiency in manly t iercises, it ie only fair to call attention to the fact of my adversary being a young man, standing 61t. 2in., and my superior in weight. FRED. BURNABY, Royal Horse Guards, Regent's Park Barracks, Dec. 16. The Frightful Accident in Blackheath Rail- way Tunnel, - The terrible calamity which occurred on Friday evening in the Blackheath tunnel, on the North Kent Railway, has caused the greatest alarm among those accustomed to trave by rail. It is miraculous that the loss of life among the passengers was not very great. Up to the present time the fatal cases have been confined to the servants of the com pany, although there are many passengers who are seriously injured and are not considered out of danger. It was impos sible at a late hour on Friday, in the confusion of tho mo ment, to obtain an accurate account of the killed and wounded, but the following list may be relied upon as cor rect. The persons killed at the time of the accident were —Wm, Wade, a platelayer, residing at New-cross—Win. Jones, labourer, Lewisham—Wm. ,Morris, labourer, Old Kent-road —Henry Smith, and Wm. Seeley, labourers, ad dresses unknown, From inquiries made yesterday it has been ascertained that another person had been added to the list. Edward Ailum, who resided at Peckham, and who was the fireman of the up passenger train from Maidstone, was picked up with the other injured persons, and was found to be very severely scalded about the neck and face, He was removed to the Marine Hospital at Woolwich, and was attended by Dr Salmon, the Deputy Inspector General, and the other surgeons of the hospital. On Saturday night alarming symptoms set in. He became delirious, and, not withstanding the greatest attention on the part of Dr Camp bell, one of the hospital surgeons, his strength gave way, and he expired at 12 o'clock. The following persons were seriously hurt :—Mrs Gembling, of 32, Hereford -street, Landport, Portsea, was greatly shaken by the shock ; she is near her confinement, and danger is feared in consequence. Mrs Ely, of Waltham- Stow, was dreadfully wounded ; she received a compound fracture of the right log and frightful contusion of loft leg and head. Mrs Caroline Browning, of 7, London-wall, is suffering from concussion of brain. Miss Louisa Price, of Effra-road, Brixton, suffers from fractured scapula and ribs and severe internal iejuries, Miss Jan.) Price, aged 26, of Union-square. Trinity-square, has had her leg fractured. This lady is not a relative of Miss Louisa Price, the injured passenger last mentioned. Joseph Hunt, the driver of the passenger train, residing in Charles-street, Old Kent-road, is very severely scalded about the face, neck, and hands. Mr Eric Windus, cf 33, Terrace, Greenhithe, has received severe contusions of left leg and arm, and Mrs Windus, his wife, fracture of the right leg and severe injury to the left knee. Shb is much bruised about the body and face. She also is far advanced in pregnancy. The persona mentioned are all lying at the Anti-Galilean Tavern at Charlton, and are under the care of Dr Fegan, of Old Charlton. At the Marine Hospital, Woolwich, are Thomas Randall. the guard of the ballast train, residing at 23, Brookeplace, Old Kent-road, who has had to unfit rgo amputation of three of his toes; John Cullin,of 11, Charles. street, Par k-road, Peckham, who has both legs broken, and it is anticil gated will have to a, übmit to amputation of both of the fret :lured limbs. They are under the care of Dr Salmon, Dr Campbell, Dr Minno ek, Dr Pattullo, and Dr Dunovan. Wes Frances Gillinghani, of s,Woodsom - villas vWestbourn , t-road, Forest-hill, lies at Guy's Hospital with a bioken leg, and although not dangerous ly ill she is not p r og•ressing favourably. Jas. Pledge, a labourer, is also at this ht; spital st tffering from contusions and s,tight internal injuries, gist Maria Gillingham, sister of I,Liss Frances Gillingham, re ceived some injuries to her leg, but after being attended to she able to be removed to her resi• deuce at Brixton '. Joseph James Albert, of 14, Upper Fora cheater-streetaly de-park, had his legs and ribs injured. His calla was serious en, ough to prevent him being removed to his home. John Wright,. of Crown-street, Erith, received some contusions on his htvd, but was able to be taken home. William Cook, a labourer, who stated that he had no fixed home, received a very severe injury on his mouth. Charles Cook, of No. 1. Radnor.terrace, Bird-in-Hand-road, Peek..- .ham, has received severe injury in the head. This patient, after having his head dressed, was well enough to be sent bowie, Dr, W. A. Browne, of the War-office, has received conclusion of the brain and a severe shock to the system and contusions to the head and body. He, accompanied by three friends, who were also Lanett shaken, was brought up by train to the Charing-cross Railway Station, and removed to the Golden Cross, Charing-cross, where he remains under medical treatment. It app 4ars from the statement of Watson, the driver of the expres a train which met with the accident in the tunnel.. and of others who were in the train, that it was stopped St Charlton for the space of 11 minutes before the signal "Line clear" was given from the Blackheath end of the tunnel. Immediately on the signal being received the train got into motion and entered the tunnel at the usual speed. The engine driver stat es that when ho had got a little distance into the tunnel h©' heard a noise which he took to be that of a down train on the opposite metals had ran into his train. He could not tell wl'iat happened then, as he was most seri ously injured. He was afterwards found under some of the debris and removed to the tfailway Tavern, Charlton, where' he now lies, A passenger states that ,he placed his wife and daughter in a first-class carriage at Strolls!, and got into a third-class carriage himself. The effect of the shock of the collision was terrible. He was flung with great force against the opposite side of the carriage. The women in the carriage screamed frantically. He recovered from the shock and got out of the carriage to look for his wife. He caught hold Of a rope attached to the side of the tunnel, and by that means swung himself down. He found himself in total darkness, which was rendered dreadful by the appalling groans and shrieks issuing from the different carriages. In the midst of the noise he was able to distinguish his wife's voice, and learnt thus that she was alive. By the aid of the rope at tached to the brickwork of the tunnel he groped his waY along through the darkness to the place whence he heard his wife's voice. He found her seriously but not lataili injured, flis daughter, a child aged two years, escaped un hurt. Aftt, r some delay assistance came and the injure& were removea'• As soon as the collision took place messengers were de" spatched to Blae;theath and Charlton stations to ask for assistance. Mr Chapman, the station master at Blackheath at once proceeded down the tunnel, accompanied by as n I " I3 Y men as he could procure, with lamps and working irelole meats. On arriving at the scene of the accident he set his men to work to get out the killed and wounded from the wreck of the trains, and as soon as they were fairly 94 work, he returned to Blackheath and sent a larger muff' bar of men down to assist the sufferers. At the station he met Dr Adams, of the London Hospital, one of the corn' pany's surgeons, who on the first alarm of the accident had been telegraphed for, and with him posted down to the Charlton end of the tunnel, where he found that assistance had arrived from Charlton. Large fires had boa kindled out of the fragments of the broken carriages, and vigorous efforts were being made by the company's servants and others to remove the passengers from , the carriages. DI the meantime the messenger hal arrived at the Charlton station, and Mr Claydon, the station-master, was prompt in procuring all the assistance in his power. It happened, t . ° l : tunately, that there were a number of empty carriages " 114 an engine at hand, and these he at once dispatched to bring away the injured. Mr Linvell, inspector of the R division of police, arrived at the Charlton station shortly afterwara ff, and he and Mr Claydon at once proceeded to the Anti-Gal lican Hotel, and engaged the house for the accommodatio n; of the sufferers, Mr Boyd, the landlord, placing hi s wholehouse at the disposal of the company, Doctors were sen t ' for in all directions, and nurses from the neighbourhoo d were procured. When the train returned from the tunn el Mr Claydon and Inspector Linvell superintended the r e ' 'novel of the wounded persons to the hotel, where °wry' thing was in readiness to receive them. Those who were not seriously injured had their wounds dressed, and were then sent in cabs, which had been telegraphed for, to thi 3 adjoiuing stations and other places where they could be' procured, to their homes. By the time the train arrived` from the scene of the accident two ambulance viagg p" with a body of the Military Train Corps, under the command of Lieutenant Bentall, arrived to render whatever assistance they might be able to the sufferers' the patients having been examined, and as many as possible sent home, the ambulances took all that the Anti' Willem. Tavern could not accommodate to the Marine Hospital at Wool% ich.. The removal of the dead bodies from the carriages was work of much difficulty, but, nevertheless, the men worked heartily and well, although suffering from the smoke a nd from the fires which could not escape from the tunnel' The bodies were brought up to Blackheath, and deposited in a temporary shed which has been provided by Mr ChtV man until some suitable receptacle should be agreed on. I t was afterwards arranged that the deadhouse in Leo Churc h should be the place to which they shoul dbe conveyed• Information has been forwarded to Mr Carttar, the cor° - ner for the district, and it is understood that the investigu4 tion will be opened this day. It is expected that one of the Government inspectors of the Board of Trade will be o ° lt down to visit the scene of the accident, and otherwise assist in the investigation. COUNTRY MARKET S. NOTTINGHAM—SATURDAY. The quantity of wheat on offer to-day was fair, at late prices. Beans a healthy sale, and the same as last We er: —White wheat, from 41s to 48s; red wheat, 38s to t• Barley—malting, 32s to 3.5 s ; grinding, 27s to 28s. C 3 ' 3 ; old, at 25s to 30s Od; new, 22s to 255. Beans sold at ,4 to 43s per qr. ; new, 37s to 395. Flour, fine, 27s to 30s ; super, 32s to 37s per 20 stones LE IC E STE R-SATIJRDAY. 36 a Old white wheat, 40s to 42 8 ; red, 38s to 42s stone. New white, 40s to 42s per 36 s tone. Malting liti r new, 30s to 33s per qr.; grindi ng , 28 s t o 30s; old _w 26s to 28s; new oats, 2_s to 25s per 24 stone. 13e° old, 38s to 42s per 38 stone ; flour, 31s to 39s per 20 otono• GRANTHAM—SATURDAY. Old white wheat, 42s to 45s ; red, 49s to 43s per 365 , t v .; new white, 40s to 43s ; r e d, 38 s t o 41 s . M a lting bar' e t ; 32s to 35s per qr ; grinding, 28s to 30s ; oats, old, 325; new, 20s to23s; beans, 366 to 445; peas, 346 to 30' YORK— SATu RDAY. We ll We had a good supply of wheat o n off e r from the gr ° . o o. this morning and a very flat trade doing, about late il l Barley a fair show and steady c emand. Oats scarce. v r , Wheat,, red 3Bs to 40s Oats.... i s s to ~.. White do .40s to 45s Beans 40: to 44: 5,.... Barley .27s to 32s Peas .... to --- N Malt, 58s to 60s per qr. ; rye, 30s per qr.; fl o ur, ''''. to 328 per sack. NOWICH—SATURDAY. There was a mode ß rate show of wheat at market to-cralet and prices for all good qualities being the same as i c eS week. There was a good show of b a rley, and late P were fully supported. „ a to 3Sa White wheat. 44s to 45 8 1 Red wheat ...... . ov n a Malting barley 3os to 33s 1 Chevalier barley.. •33s to 26a Distilling do 24s to 26s 1 Oats.. 24 , f ° Flour, 26s Od to 26s 6d per sack from the wilier DUBLIN-FRNIA.Y. m. d. s. d. Wheat, white„ 22 0 to 23 6 Do., red 2O 0 to 21 6 Do., new Barley Rapeseed 2s s. d• 0 to O a t mea l lO 0 13 0 Beans.. . to 0 0 t Bere too _ 0 -- 0 Bakers' flour l4 0 ED 0 Indian corn -- 0 Oats Do., black lO 0 to li 0 Birs. MITCHELL.—On the 15th inst., th at Marland Hous e, m ° al' - d anupton, the wife of Maj or -G enera l Mitchell, of a 50'Ibe M‘MAnoN.—On the 16th inst., at 41, Grosvenor•Plaot3'.oo. wile of Co]. Sir Thomas I.l.‘Mahoy, Bart., C. 8., of a"Gr, STEPHENNON.—On the 16th inst., Mrs Stephenson, of St George's-square, of a son. Berk Mr/usu.—On inst., the 16th at 55, Hill-street) Ber square, Lady Emily Walsh, of a son. Marriages. LITTLEY.--TALBOT.—On the 15th inst. , at Wituv oc ic. Gloucestershire, John Barnsby Lutley,Esq . • °I ' — e l ides t hampton, Herefordshire, to Emily Magog, T 6 lot) daughter of the Hon, and Rev. George a "" rector of Withington. h c r if f, VERNER.—NUGENT.—On the 15th inst , at St Caul ch, Dublin, Edward Wing fi eld V'ernor,PStoP4 "' second son of Sir William Verner, Bart., ALF., ,t ° ., Florence, daughter of Thomas Vesey Nugent) 1 6 th Deaths.inst. BECKWIT . H.—On the co u o v K er-crescent, Brighton, Robrt Beckwith, Eb(l. , a g e sa. —On he 13th inst . 6t al° , at 73, Wuripole-str eet, ) John Cook, rector of Ockley, Sturey, aged B}. „ a wl. GiOl i tDON.—On the 16th inst. at 15, Howley-place, .0... h 11, George Gordon,at his residence, 23, 1 9 7 11 7 : Esq ,'formerly of Madras . g' ,013.. GRAY,—On the 16th inst., at his residence, Mornifi crescent, Samuel Gray, sq., aged 74. K e ntish' MOORE.—On the 13thinst., John Moo re, of 2 0 , town-road, aged 66. hter ° E WHITING,—On the 16th inst_,. Maria, second dang woo d, Charies Whiting, Esq fl 3 'cl ,e-road, St Johns" ~ 0 71 k, aged 36. __...........—......." London: Primed and Prbitalleci by wiLLIA m.A.NDIC'°;C c e i S 2 of No. 112, Strand , Printer, at Tun SUN Offic e Strand, .11 Free Met e 01 the SAv 1 : 04. oy. n the Cell Strand, illiddleaelc—Nouday, Dcember 19, THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 19, 1864. AT) P ar , the' the $ 4 1)0: tern /4t: s ail 13, 4tai 1 1 ' 4A xl ThP ‘6th O yNJ t ttk Etta